


An Awkward Seduction

by Repeatinglitanies



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Don’t copy to another site, F/M, Pseudo-Incest, Underage Drinking, let’s imagine it takes homicidal emotions for Vanya’s powers to manifest, wet t-shirt scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-29
Updated: 2019-08-29
Packaged: 2020-09-26 06:21:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20385076
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Repeatinglitanies/pseuds/Repeatinglitanies
Summary: Aug 30 Prompt: JealousyWhen all else failed, Vanya tries to get Five jealous





	An Awkward Seduction

Five had been staring at her again. It wasn’t a look that said she did something unbelievably stupid. It wasn’t a look that said she was funny and amusing. 

No, it was a look that said he was hungry and he wanted to eat her up.

And Vanya wished that Five would just act on it. Because she could not. She was too much of a coward to make the first move. And she knew how Five’s pride might prevent him from even accepting any advance she managed to muster.

Five had to be the best at everything. And in his mind, he was in fact better than anyone. This was why most of their other siblings had a hard time getting along with Five. But Vanya was different. She was born without powers. Was not even considered part of the hierarchy system Reginald Hargreeves had in place despite being originally named Number Seven.

So they got along. In the isolated world that was the Umbrella Academy, which was metaphorically miles away from the eyes of ordinary people despite being located almost at the heart of the city, Vanya was so below Five’s station that it was inconceivable to even consider her competition. Besides, Vanya was so starved for attention and affection that she would take it from anywhere and anyone she could.

This was not to say that Five was a manipulative little monster who saw Vanya as some sort of sidekick, though he certainly could be manipulative when he needed to be. Neither should this imply that Vanya was an absolute doormat to accede to every request Five made of her, though she usually complied and was a wonderful partner in crime.

Their relationship was not as simple as that.

When Reginald Hargreeves didn’t have Five doing missions or training, Five would spend most of his time figuring out the mysteries of time travel, usually with the accompaniment of Vanya’s growing skills with her violin. Even though their bond started out as being two outsiders looking in, sticking together because they felt empathy for the other like square pegs in a world made for round ones, they happened to eventually discover that they enjoyed each other’s company.

They had grown to trust each other enough to share secrets they would rather die than expose to anyone else, cover for each other if they believed the other was in trouble. Vanya certainly had no doubts who she would call should she ever need to dispose of a body, not that she ever found herself in a situation where a dead body was at hand and needed to disappear.

At first, they saw each other as comrade-in-arms in the battlefield that was the restrictive and near-militaristic environment of the Umbrella Academy. When they were kids, the Academy was their world and they thought they would have stay there forever and be together forever like this.

But as years passed and their bodies developed, they began to learn that they didn’t have to be stuck in the Academy or with each other. They also began to see each other as something more. 

At least, that’s what Vanya thought. Or was it simply something she wished was true?

Vanya was sure she didn’t imagine the desire in Five’s eyes when he accidentally jumped to her room while she was in the midst of changing her clothes. Or the way that he would hold her perhaps a second longer as he helped her sneak out at night.

But Five never said anything. And if she ever caught him at it, he would simply pretend it never happened. Needless to say, this uncertainty brought Vanya an unnecessary amount of stress.

Over the past few weeks, Vanya had gone with a perhaps ambitious (and much hoped for) theory that Five felt something more for her.

So she had tried everything she could think of to get him to act on it. All with disastrous results. Batting her eyelashes at him made Five think a speck of dust got to her eyes. The tears spilling on her cheeks only confirmed it even though they were in fact tears of humiliation.

She had tried washing Dad’s car within Five’s line of sight. Making sure to “accidentally” splash herself with water to reveal what her wet t-shirt hid underneath. All that accomplished was Five covering her up and teleporting her to her room. Because Dad happened to also witness it, Vanya got a grueling one-hour lecture about how to behave like a proper student that attended the Umbrella Academy.

By eighteen, they could already start moving out. Vanya had already made plans to attend the local university that offered a music degree and stay at the dorms. But irrepressible urge to find out how Five felt remained. She had to know one way or another. If she was just imagining his attraction to her, she knew she’d be hurt. But that was a small price to pay. At least, she’d know.

So she decided to try one last seduction attempt. Vanya swore this would be the last time. If this didn’t work, she would give up.

Last year, everyone had already discarded wearing the Academy uniforms. Vanya eventually found out she liked wearing jeans and buttoned up shirts. Allison and Klaus bemoaned her lack of fashion sense. And had, more than once, offered to help her pick out different styles. But she found her clothes to be comfortable enough, so she had always declined.

But with her plan in mind, Vanya decided to take them up on their offer. Allison and Klaus were only more than happy to help.

Vanya only wished she could take a picture to show Five the dumbstruck look on his face as he found her walking down the stairs one night. Her hair had been styled and flowing down her back. Her dress was up to her mid-thigh and hugging her in all the right places. Her heels made her walk more sensuously. And her make-up gave her face a more alluring maturity. She felt sexy and desired.

“Where are you going?” Five asked as he followed her to the door.

She flashed him a smile, and quickly got in the cab. Vanya remembered something she read on a magazine. Leave him wanting more, it said. And she followed the advice.

“On a date,” was all she replied as she closed the door and directed the driver to her intended destination.

_________________

Vanya made it sound like she was out to have a good time. But all she really did was go to Griddy’s to enjoy coffee and doughnuts. The waitress looked at her funny as she took Vanya’s order.

To be fair, Vanya was dressed as if she was on a date. And Griddy’s was no romantic restaurant with soulful music and ambience. The plan was to wait a few hours. See if Five would follow her. To be honest, Vanya had no idea what Five would do. She hoped he would walk through the entrance and demand to know what she was doing. That way, she could just break down and confess everything. That way, everything, all her thoughts and feelings would be out in the open. And that would be that. No matter how Five reacted, at least he would know.

One way or another, she would have the answer to her question.

But hours passed and still no Five. When the waitress informed her they were closing, she walked home with a heavy heart.

She came back to find the sitting room lights still on. It was only on the process to switching them off when she noticed Five on an armchair, a glass of what could only be alcohol in hand. Judging from the empty bottle on the floor, he had been at it for some time.

“Did you enjoy your date?”

Vanya was in no mood to sell him any stories. It was the worst time to have Five wait up for her because she was still upset at him. In her head, she knew she was being irrational for blaming Five simply for not doing what she wanted him to do. But she supposed that she was far too hurt to care.

“None of your business,” she said as she made her way up the stairs only to be stopped by the obstacle of his body suddenly appearing in front of her.

“You’re in a bad mood. So I guess, no,” he said with the most satisfied smirk on his face. She could smell the alcohol in his breath and suspected that he may not be totally himself. 

But that didn’t stop Vanya from being angry. Never mind that she never planned to go on a date with anyone other than this bastard in front of her. But for him to actually be happy with her unhappiness was too much. He didn’t want her enough to do something about it. But apparently was proprietary enough of her to feel joy at the thought that no one else wanted her.

Vanya slapped him hard on the face. And again on the other side. Tears were streaming down her face as she made her third attempt only for him to catch her outstretched hand and look her in the eyes.

And finally, he seemed to sober up and really look at her.

“I’m sorry. Please don’t cry. I’m an idiot. And that guy who stood you up was obviously even more of an imbecile.”

With that, Vanya only cried harder. 

Five had her in his arms and she briefly pondered at the tear stains she was leaving on his shirt. It was a crisp white shirt. And now, with her face pressed to his chest (he was that much taller than her now), she had ruined both his shirt and her makeup. All that work for nothing.

But then she remembered she’d be moving out in a few days. And for all she knew, they’d pretend this never happened in the morning.

So she decided to be brave.

“It was you. You’re the imbecile who was supposed to come after me!”

When she looked up at him, she noticed that they were back in the sitting room. Five had obviously used his powers to take them somewhere more comfortable. And with him on the armchair and her on his lap, it was certainly a lot more preferable than hanging around on the stairs.

“Excuse me?!”

The dumbfounded look on his face was certainly priceless. Vanya would have laughed if she thought the action wouldn’t give him mixed signals and make him think she was joking.

“Yes, you! I’ve been trying to get you to come on to me for months! But you didn’t do anything! I’m moving in a few days, and still nothing! So I tried to make you jealous. I made you think I was on a date. If you had followed me, you would have known I was at Griddy’s waiting for you! But maybe you don’t feel the same. So I was trying my best to come to terms with that. And then, I find you sitting here getting drunk. And I just got so angry at you! But now I’m sorry for hitting you. Twice.”

Vanya started crying again but managed to slow it down to a hiccup as Five handed her his handkerchief.

She was blowing her nose when she noticed him rubbing a hand to his face. And then, used the same hand to cover his mouth.

He was laughing at her.

“I’m sorry! I’m not laughing at you, I swear! It’s just that all this time, I was hoping you’d give me a sign to make a move. But it looked like the signs went completely over my head.”

There was the Five she knew. Yes, he could be an arrogant prick most of the time. But she knew that gentle smile he now had was reserved just for her

“Your plan worked. I was jealous earlier. And I thought I missed my chance because I waited too long. That’s when you found me, feeling sorry for myself and drowning my sorrows with alcohol.”

Five’s smile turned rueful at that.

“I’m sorry, Vanya. I can only imagine the amount of anxiety I put you throu-”

Five never got to finish his sentence. Because Vanya cut him off with a kiss. When she broke it off for a chance to breathe, she caught him gazing at her with wonder. And she found out that it was enough to cause butterflies to flutter in her stomach.

“Take me to bed.”

“Vanya, are you-”

“Yes, I’m sure! Take me to bed before I strip you naked here and now!”

“...yes, Ma’am.”

With that, Five picked her up. It really took no massive effort on his part. She put her arms around his neck and closed her eyes. She still wasn’t used to the blue light that came flashing with his spatial jumps. But that was ok. Because at least, when she opened her eyes, she knew what would come next. And she couldn’t wait.


End file.
